Product Review- Stila Custom Color Blush in Self-Adjusting Bronze

 

Stila Custom Color Blush - Self Adjusting Bronze 

 

From the Brand: Our newest addition to the Custom Color Blush family, this perceptive one-shade-fits-all powder blush comes in a natural bronze hue, with a hint of subtle shimmer for a customized sun-kissed glow, perfect for you.

An innovative powder blush that reacts to each individual's pH to create a perfect, personalized shade with its unique one-shade-fits-all technology. The ultra-blendable, velvety soft formula magically smoothes the appearance of fine lines and imperfections leaving skin with a luminous, flawless flush.

 

Retails for: $20.00

 

Where to Buy: Stila Cosmetics, Sephora stores and online, Ulta stores and online

 

My Thoughts: I really love the color payout of this bronzer.  While I'm not sure that it really "adjusts", it does definitely look beautiful on a wide range of skin tones.  On the fairest of skins, it can look just a tad bit orangey though, so be sure to build it up in sheer layers if you're worried about how it will look.  It also has a good bit of shimmer to it as well, meaning it's best used with a matte blush to avoid looking shiney- especially if you're going to be taking photos.  I carry this in my bridal kit and like to use it to add a touch of color to the face of my bridal party so that their makeup looks are all nice and cohesive.  It really does look beautiful on just about everybody.

It seems like such a small compact, but it lasts for a very long time.  I'd say I've used it at least 100 times, and you can't even begin to see a dent in the product itself.  I prefer using a large fluffy brush, like the Real Techniques Duo Fiber Face Brush, since the longer white hairs will buff the product out to a beautiful airbrushed finished.  It can also be used for contouring on slightly darker skin tones, although be careful of the shimmer.  For that I like a small angled blush brush, like the Crown Brush Studio Pro Contour Blush Brush (C405).

I don't know about the whole magically smoothing out fine lines portion of their claim, as I don't think any bronzer can really do that.  If you want to minimize the appearance of fine lines, you need to do that prior to your powder color products- with your skincare, primer, and foundation.

 

Final Verdict: Great bronzer that will suit just about anyone's skin tone, and will last a very long time.  Great value!

 

 

**Disclaimer: As with all my product reviews, I was not paid by the cosmetic company to provide feedback or review/promote their products.  All the opinions expressed in this article are my own.  These items were purchased with my own money.  This article contains affiliate links.

Product Review- Korres Deep Colour Mascara

Korres Deep Colour Mascara

 

From the Brand:

What it is:
A pigment-rich mascara containing Provitamin B5 and Rice Bran.

What it does:
Korres Deep Colour Mascara provides glossy, deep color while conditioning and nourishing to promote maximum lash health. This brand favorite contains Provitamin B5, a proven hair-strengthening agent that conditions and strengthens lashes, while Rice Bran expands (just like rice does in water) to provide maximum lash length, volume, and fullness.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Mineral Oils
- Petrochemicals
- Propylene Glycols
- Ethanolomines
- GMOs
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes

 

Retails for:  $18.00

 

Where to Buy: Sephora is the exclusive retailer for this product

 

My Thoughts: I got this what seems like forever ago at Sephora in a value set, and I wasn't sure if I was going to like it.  I figured I'd get a nice high end mascara for "free", since I was really interested in the other items in the set anyway.  I was pleasantly surprised by how much I like this mascara. I use it more as a conditioning base than a mascara on its own though.  The Vitamin B5 helps to condition and strengthen my lashes, while the mascara I put on top of it gives it the length and volume I like.  I've always been a fan of putting lash conditioners under my mascara, or layering mascara formulas in general.  This gives a nice thin coat that I can wear under other mascaras or layer over itself if I really want more volume but a very natural look to my lashes.

 

Final Verdict:  Overall a good buy and works great to condition the lashes.

 

 

**Disclaimer: As with all my product reviews, I was not paid by the cosmetic company to provide feedback or review/promote their products.  All the opinions expressed in this article are my own.  These items were purchased with my own money.

IPSY June and July Box Reviews

June 2013 IPSY Subscription Box

June 2013 IPSY Subscription Contents:  {This month's total full size retail value: $43.49}

Starlooks Lip Pencil in Tipsy- Full Size $12.00 included  I've never used anything by Starlooks, but I've heard a lot about them.  The color is a very bright coral color, and it's super pigmented.  The formula glides on nicely without tugging or skipping.  It's not waxy at all, which I love.

NYX Cream Blush in Boho Chic- Full Size $6.00 included  I'm not a big fan of the texture of this as a cream blush.  It's a little too greasy and emollient for me.  It leaves a lot of shine on the skin.  The color is able to be applied in sheer layers, but it feels heavy on my skin when I build it up to the pigmentation I prefer.  I'll either use this as a lip tint or just give it to someone, since I just swatched it.  I'm disappointed, because I usually love the NYX products, and their powder blushes are so great for the price!

J. Cat Beauty Sparkling Cream Palette in Suzie- Full Size $4.49 included  This was an epic fail in my mind.  The quality of the packaging in combination with the gritty cheap cream "shadow" itself reminds me of something I would find in a Barbie makeup kit for a six year old.  I don't want to even try it on my face.  I swatched some on the back of my hand, and all that I was left with was a greasy spot with glitter that rubbed off almost immediately.  The glitter colors are very pretty, and this might be useable for a Halloween look in a few months.  Overall, I wasn't happy at all with this product.

Cailyn Line-Fix Gel Eyeliner in Iron- Full Size $21.00 included  Another full size product, but not another product I'm looking forward to using.  I don't really like grey eyeliner on myself, but it's not a bad thing to have in my makeup kit.  The brush that comes with it is too thick to get a thin precise line, so I have to use another brush.  The formula looks a bit dry, but the pigmentation seems decent. I'll use it for a photoshoot as a shadow base for a smokey look and see if I like it any better.  Right now I'm neutral on it.  Not hating it, but not loving it either.

Psssst! Dry Shampoo- Full Size $6.99 for 5.3 oz, Sample Size $2.99 for 1.7 oz I keep this in my hair kit for my boudoir and headshot clients, and it's an amazing dry shampoo.  It doesn't have a heavy scent, and it works quickly to reduce shine from excess oil and add a boost of volume to roots.  Sometimes I'll use it on my clean hair at the roots to give them a bit of texture before I do a topknot.  It also adds a bit of grip to my fine locks.  And since it's a travel size, it's perfect for my vacation bag!  Yay!  Another item added without having to hit the travel section at Target!

Leopard Print Cosmetic Bag


This month's box:  Hit or Miss?   Big Hit For Value, although the cream palette was a major bust in my opinion, and I'm not a fan of the cream blush.  Major bonus points for almost everything being full size though!

July 2013 IPSY Subscription Box

July 2013 IPSY Subscription Contents: { This month's total full size retail value: $0.00!}

Pop Beauty Pouty Pop Crayon in Coral Crush- Full Size $25/6 crayons, Sample Size $4.17/1 crayon  Even though it's part of a set of six crayons, the one in the bag itself is a full size lip crayon.  The color is called Coral Crush, although against my skin tone it comes off a little more on the pink side, like a fun watermelon color.  It's very pigmented and emollient, and there's a faint peppermint scent to it.  When you apply it there is a very slight cooling sensation.  Pop Beauty is a brand I've wanted to test out for a while, so I'm hoping that they show up more often in my IPSY boxes.  *Fingers crossed for a nail polish soon!*

BH Cosmetics California Collection Eyeshadow Sample- Full Size $7/16 eyeshadows plus 4 blushes, Sample Size $1.05/3 eyeshadows  These are three beautiful colors!  I love how pigmented they are, and the formula is very silky for such an inexpensive brand.  They coordinate really nicely together, and I think I'll do a sultry royal purple and gold look for my anniversary date in just 13 short days!  Eeek!

Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Beach Spray- Full Size $19.95/5.1 oz, Sample Size $6.65/1.7 oz  Every year we spend our anniversary in Florida, but this year we won't be leaving until a few days after to head down.  Along with my sultry eye look, I'll be channeling my inner Victoria's Secret model with some sexy beachy waves instead!  Another item I keep in my hair kit, I'll happily be replacing my current bottle when it runs out with this.  It's like IPSY has seen into my hair kit and knows just how to keep me happy!

Coola Mineral Face SPF 20 Moisturizer- Full Size $36/1.7 oz, Sample Size $4.87/.23 oz  I think everyone is going for some type of sunscreens in their subscription boxes lately, so this is just another one that I'll be adding to my stash.  At least I don't have to go shopping for much!  The formula is nice and thin and absorbs quickly into the skin with no greasy residue.  It starts off white, and despite containing titanium dioxide, it doesn't look chalky on the skin.  There is no scent added, but you can smell a bit of the natural ingredients, so it's not an unpleasant 'sunscreen' odor.  The main ingredient is safflower seed oil, so it's got some good hydrating properties without being heavy.  I think it's a bit overpriced for a sunscreen, but it's decent for a higher end moisturizer.  I think it needs to pick one direction and focus.  If it wants to be a sunscreen, it needs to be a better price point.  If it wants to be a moisturizer, it needs to "do" more for the skin than just hydrate with some sun protection.  (Never mind that I'm talking about the product like it's got a brain or something... but you get what I'm saying... right?)

Derma E Microdermabrasion Scrub- Full Size $32.50/2 oz, Sample Size $16.25/1 oz  What a generous sample!  I've never heard of the brand before, but their generosity and the overall scent of the product has already started to win me over.  The product has a nice sweet lemony scent, like fresh baked lemon squares.  The texture is gritty, like a scrub should be, but it's not overly harsh.  I wish it came with the ingredients listed, but IPSY provides all that information in my Glam Room online so it's not too big of a deal.  It contains a nice blend of natural plant oils like sweet almond and sweet orange and jojoba, along with brightening benefits of lemon peel oil and exfoliants like volcanic ash and dead sea salt.  There's also a bit of kaolin clay, so it should be good at not only removing dead skin from blocking pores but helping to draw some of the impurities out at the same time.  I'm in the process of testing out a different exfoliating scrub on my face right now, so a more in depth review of this will have a to wait a bit.

Clear Pink Cosmetic Bag



This month's box:  Hit or Miss?  Big Hit for great products.  The total value of the bag was $32.99, although none of the products this month were full size on their own.  They were either full size pieces of a collection, or a generous sample size of the product.  I'm excited to use almost every single product in this month's box, so this is definitely a huge winner in my book despite not technically having any "full" size products included.


Is IPSY for you?  Don't forget to use one of my subscription links below to sign up to receive your own box every month!

Join IPSY for just $10 a month!


**Disclaimer:  This article contains referral links.  As with all my articles, the opinions expressed herein are fully my own.  For more information on my policies, please view my Let's Chat page.

BeautyBox5 June and July Box Reviews

June 2013 Beauty Box 5 Subscription

Brazen Eyeshadow Sample in Omega

July 2013 Beauty Box 5 Subscription

June 2013 Beauty Box 5 Subscription Contents:  {This month's total full size retail value: $7.99}

Coolway Cool Cleanse Shampoo- Full Size 8.6 oz for $25, Sample Size 1 oz {approx value $2.90}
I haven't used this yet, but I plan on taking it with me on vacation next month.  The past few months of subscriptions to four different companies has fully stocked my travel bag, and I couldn't be happier!  This says it's a gentle and nourishing formula that strengthens and hydrates while reducing breakage and frizz.  Hopefully it won't strip the color from my hair like most shampoos do, but it's ok for a short trip.

Coolway Cool Hydrate Conditioner- Full Size 8.6 oz for $25, Sample Size 1 oz {approx value $2.90}
Again, I haven't used this yet, but it pretty much has the same properties as the shampoo.  The 1 oz size makes it nice for travel, and I should be able to get at least 2-3 uses out of these to see if they would be worth purchasing full size.  However, the $25 for only 8.6 oz makes me a bit skeptical.  If they are really awesome, I'll look for them at one of the beauty supply stores around that sell the salon sizes for $32+ for liter duos.

Just Being Sexy Body Bronzer- Full Size 6 fl oz for $49, Sample Size .54 oz {approx value $4.41} Two tiny little foil packets that only equal a half ounce combined?  I doubt I'll ever use them at all, and these are going into my "trade" stash for the online sample trading sites.  It seems too pricy for me, and I'm not a big body bronzer person to begin with.  I like my nice daily DHA moisturizers.  This could be an awesome product, but foil packets are a pain the you-know-what to use for body applications.  If it had come in a little squeeze tube, I might have tried it.

Brazen Cosmetics Eyeshadow- Full Size .18 oz included $7.99 value
I was a little shocked to find that this was the full size of the shadow.  It's so small, and frankly the packaging leaves a lot to be desired.  It's messy and looks cheap.  The color is more lilac than blue.  My camera just wasn't picking up colors correctly.  I'm not one for blue eyeshadows to begin with, and I prefer pressed to loose, but I'll at least try it out to see if the wear is worthwhile.  Still, my initial impression of the product itself has me doubtful I'd purchase this brand in the future.

Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Lotion Sunscreen- Full Size 3 oz for $9.99, Sample Size .5 oz {approx value $1.67}  Also included was a $1 off coupon for Aveeno sun care products.  I love Aveeno, and this is the perfect size for me to toss in my purse for days when I'm unexpectedly out in the sun more than I anticipated.  This one says it's water-resistant for up to 80 minutes, too!  It's only an SPF 30, so I'd use it on myself rather than my kids, but it's nice to have on hand just in case.


This month's box:  Hit or Miss?   Miss  Overall, I didn't find much personal value to these products.  The full size retail value was really low this month, and the $7.99 price tag for the full size shadow seems high for the quality.  If you add the approximate values together, you only get an extra $11.88, making the grand total value $19.97.  This is low for what I've come to expect from these types of boxes.

July 2013 Beauty Box 5 Subscription Contents: {This month's total full size retail value: $24.98}

Every Beauty Foot Smoother- Full Size $8.99 included I usually go to the spa to get my feet done, but this buffer block says that it can be used on knees and elbows as well, so I think I'll try this out after a long soak in the tub some night.  There are two sides to the block, one more coarse than the other, and it says that it can be washed and sanitized.  This actually looks kind of cool to me, and already with this one item the value of this month's box is higher than June's. Off to a good start!

Jean Pierre Cosmetics Nail Polish remover Wipes- Full Size 10 wipes for $3.99, Sample Size 2 wipes {approx value $.80}  I love keeping nail polish remover wipes in my kit for unexpected emergencies on wedding days or photoshoots, so these were a very welcome addition this month!  I'd love to get two of these every month!  It's amazing how handy remover wipes that are individually wrapped prove to be.

Be A Bombshell Lip Gloss in Kiss Off- Full Size .11 oz for $14.00 included  I love all of the Be A Bombshell products I've tried, and this gloss is no exception. It's a beautiful cool blue based pink, with very subtle silver shimmer that isn't chunky and glittery.  The only thing I'd change is that it doesn't have a "scent" to it, which I like on my lipglosses.  I was also excited to see that it's a full size.

LA Fresh Travel Lite Antibacterial Wipes- Full Size 8 wipes for $1.99 included  Being a mom, the convenience of a pack of anti-bac wipes I can toss in my purse is so nice!  The LA Fresh brand has been popping up in my subscription boxes for a few months now, and they seem to be all about convenience and individually packed products.

Airelle Age Defying Facial Serum- Full Size .85 fl oz for $158.00, Sample Size .25 fl oz {approx value $46.47}  Also included was a coupon for a Free Berrimatrix Eye and Lip Treatment with the purchase of any Airelle product before 8/31/13.  This was a huge sample!  I've never heard of this brand before, but I like what I see so far.  It uses natural ingredients with no parabens, sulfates, or fragrances.  The very first ingredient is aloe vera leaf juice rather than water, and it also contains hyaluronic acid (a humectant that hold 1000 times its weight in water to help hydrate and plump skin) plus Vitamins A, C, and E.  I'm almost all out of my current serum, so this came at the perfect time.

$10 Coupon Code for MyNameNecklace.com {Not pictured}


This month's box:  Hit or Miss?  Major Hit   The combined retail value alone makes this a great box this month, but I'm also excited that every single thing in it is something I will use!  The serum sample size is amazing, and it looks like such a great product I probably would have been happy with this alone.  Total combined full size and sample size value is a whopping $72.25!!!  July's box fully redeemed Beauty Box 5 after the disappointment of June's box.  I'm looking forward to seeing what I get for August!


Is Beauty Box 5 for you?  Don't forget to use one of my subscription links below to sign up to receive your own box every month!

**Disclaimer:  This article contains affiliate links.  As with all my articles, the opinions expressed herein are fully my own.  For more information on my policies, please view my Let's Chat page.